An Extraordinary Equinox

This year the autumn equinox not only coincided with a full moon but also the Dolmen Clan Cornwall Moot Camp at South Penquite farm, miles from anywhere and surrounded by countryside and craggy tors.

The forecast was for heavy rain and strong winds for the best part of the weekend. Me and Trez came prepared deciding to take our new van, an old Citroen Berlingo that protected us from the elements for our drive from Dorset on the Friday. The van can also carry more stuff than the motorbike and it was a good time to try it out as the moot camp was only the beginning of our ten day adventure around Cornwall. We wanted to get away from modern life for a while and reconnect with nature at its most basic albeit with 21st Century essentials like cameras and phones, cars and vans, warm waterproof clothing and money to buy things. What better place to start our break than the Kernow Mabon Camp, five miles north of Bodmin[1], a gathering of kindred souls mostly from across the south to meet with old friends and make new ones. The hostile weather forecast had put a few people off but a good hardcore of around twenty pagans made it. Having the van meant we could bring the bell tent and plenty of warm clothing and blankets. I also brought copies of ‘The Seven Ages of the Goddess’ to promote, selling three, giving one away as present and offering one to Kay for breaking her chair. She accepted gladly and promised to give it a review. Once we had pitched the tent we socialised under Teach and Beth’s gazebo catching up with everybody’s world and plan for the weekend. With Saturday wet and miserable the planned walk was put off to Sunday so we visited Jamaica Inn just down the road for the afternoon instead with is bar, gift shop and museum to keep us out of the wet and wind.

Sunday was autumn equinox, or mid autumn and was welcomed in by the morning sun giving us warmth and cloudy blue skies to start the day under. The sun was making his final journey across the heavens having held power over the darkness since the spring equinox and today an equal share of the power of light before slipping into the shadow for the next six months. After today the influence of night begin to dominate the days ushering in the cold breath of winter. Today is the moment when the expectant Brigit ascends to the Otherworld to prepare herself for the birth of the Devine Son[2] at midwinter leaving the way open for her barren twin sister Cailleach to replace her on earth. Today, their energy is balanced as is the day and night when light and dark are equal and magic can be achieved. On a full moon the magic can be powerful. With the love of his life gone, the stag lord aka Cernunnos returns to the deep forests to make up with his jilted lover Grainne.

Despite the sunshine a chilly breeze from the north made sure we wrapped up warm for our trek to an ancient standing stone half a mile from the camp. We trekked north through the countryside with some of the group hugging trees along the way while others hunted for wild mushrooms until we got to the old stone in the middle of a field with a herd of cattle and some ferocious looking bulls in attendance. Seeing us arrive they moved away from the stone to the top of the hill allowing us to rest at the sacred site to relax, meditate, explore and chat with each other for a time while Ben kept an eye on them. We welcomed the warmth of the sun on our skin and the protection of the trees from the biting wind for a moment in time where the outside world and its fears did not exist.

In the late afternoon while Trez gave a reading to Kitt, the rest of us took a drive four miles east to Collingford Lake, a special place to Karen and Dave, our hosts for the weekend who wanted to share it with us. Everyone connected to the place especially as the sun was making his descent towards the western horizon. Tomorrow it will rise weaker and under the growing power of darkness.

We returned to camp just as the sun was setting and the full moon was rising but still hidden by the eastern hills which rose into the sky as we were finishing off our tea. Clouds shaped like dragons swam across the starry sky. While Mars guarded the south and Saturn covered the west, constellations including Aries, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Pisces, Pegasus, Aquarius, Hercules, Lyra, Cygnus, Draco and the Great Bear circled the North Star.

Teach organised and led a ritual to draw down the energy of the full moon; the Red Goddess of the Mother, fertile with potential and promise into the circle. Each person was asked into the circle to ‘perform’, if that is the right word, in the energy of light that is a reflection of Father Sun into a world of darkness. There were some inspiring performances using dragon magic, witch magic, Celtic magic, Norse magic, light magic and Lucifer magic balanced in the circle connecting all those involved. It was a time to let yourself go and enter into the magic of the night.

When it came to my turn my mind had decided not to and I declined probably a little too forceful despite the moon screaming at me to make aware to everyone in the circle that everything will be alright in their world. All issues were about to resolve themselves and their lives improve. The moon wanted me to look at each and everyone in turn, in the eye and let them know their worries and fears would soon be gone. I had something to say, I was relaxed and the mead had loosened my tongue but once my mind had decided something then there is no changing it at quick notice. I gazed up at the Red Goddess defiantly but at the same time cowardly. The spirits do not judge and will see it as a missed opportunity to reveal to her who I really am.

Oh well, maybe next time. It was a lovely balanced ceremony that left everyone inspired and positive and a perfect way to finish the day. It set me and Trez up physically, mentally and spiritually prepared for our time in Tintagel and later in St. Buryan surrounded by many Stone and Bronze Age wonders and craggy coastline within walking distance of the campsite. It was going to be a good adventure; the goddess has foreseen it.